Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-03-11
THE BASILISK-
A STORY oFTO-DAY.
CHAPTERxxv. n
.ADEsPERATE DEY1cR.


CHAPTER XIV.
HI. sA;DESPERATE DEVICE.
It is strange, but true, that, as set
off running, I felt sense Of positive
delight in at last meeting my enemies
on straightforward, if not on equal
terms. Equal they certainly were not,
Tor Twas unarmed, not we'll acquainted
with the ground, and considerably out
OF condition from the long and en-
forced inactivity Of the last four years;
while my enemies were on their own
ground, unscrupulous, as I too well
knew, and aware that their liberty,
their lives in all probability, depended
upon my capture; and that now meant,
was convinced, my death. 7essS .
ran rashly, buoyantly, at top-speed
aoross the lawn, as I imagined; but the
unacoustomed quarter from which !
had started, confused me; the thick
masses ofcloud. which kept on remorse-
lessly devouring with dense blackness
the dazzling mother-o'-pearl edges
with wHach the sighted moon sought to
beautify her defeat, had rolled up an
impenetrable barrier of mysterious
! darkness. 1aats5}t EsT 81 @a@s #T@ b
I stumbled and tripped, and ere
long, with dismay, tinged with a sense
Of the ridiculous, plunged head fore
most into thick bushes, whose plant
branches tipped my face, while the
heavy autumn dew fell in shower all
about me. picked myself up. half
laughing at so ridiculous mishap in
! 90 serious crisis. I looked anxiously
about me. Those who have. never
experienced what it is to be absolutely
deprived Of ones bearings, even in a
familiar spot, will have, perhaps, some
| difficulty in realising the perplexing
nature of my position. It is by no
means given to every man to carry
about a self-acting compass in his in
ternal consciousness. as thick London
fog in suburban district has shown to
many clear-headed inhabitants of
Greater London. Ridiculous as it may
seem, when I had gazed about me, and
to some extent recovered from the
shock of my two falls, could come to
no other conclusion than that / was
practically lost. I had set off running
upon instinct. I fully imagined that ]
had struck across the lawn and was
making for the drive, which would have
shown me the road to safety, whatever
precautions I might have been driven
to adopt by the way. But having
landed myself in some unknown bushes
Twas fairly at q loss on extricating my
n SELF. The sky was dark, the earth wa.
! shrouded in dead blackness. coult
dimly make out in only one quarter til,
looming outline Of q big tree. Thi
: was no guide whatever. No tree tina
had seen by daylight near Hanove
Lodge had 1.-THE of the vague vastness
the mysterious majesty of the tree tina
had expanded in the darkness, and as
simulated the infinity of night. 4.
stood collecting all my senses i
this supreme need;
Help came from the enemy.
A whistle, such as had heard as
dropped from my prison, drew my q,
tention to one quarter of the darkness
which, from that moment, was no long
or without form and void. I gaze
steadily. Then there became visible
dull light, as of q lamp behind THO
h and partially drawn blind. This wa
bettor than nothing. but il told N
:, little. There surely, was the house. b,
!! from what side or angle OF the hout
did that blurred light sinner
I still waited. Nothing was to |
gained BY = run in the dark. / waite'
1ealin1 moro keenly than over, no
that the excitement u tho first futi
q Yush was over, the desperation Of n
positio the fate that awaited me
captured. 55a q
J. Suddenly I became aware Of = disi
Al patton Of the darkness. Was II on
!. the effect Of anxious straining Of q
sight inlthe unresponsivo modiumP n
The form Of the clouds was again D
coming apparent. Their Fashioned on
4. lines again assumed Significance. fSu
dcnly-more suddenly than I hid dar
Is hopo-the dim and mufiied moonlig
;ns renewed the time 81 action for me N
81 Tor my puryuors. perceived that ]
~ general Fidea had boon correct, hut tn
/ Ind failed TO allow for tho circul
form 81 the lawn. Once moro
out but, when I was well ont Of COY
OF tho shrubs, ] suddenly saw, within
~ few yards Of me, tho formsof M
s. dart apparently from the bushes.
nas camo straight toWards mo. To hesit'
was 10 be lost, changed my coar
] ran athin. remembered some